W3C Promotes Media Source Extensions

The World Wide Web Consortium's HTML Working Group has released the Media Source extensions as a Candidate Recommendation. According to the W3C, the Media Source extensions "...extend HTMLMediaElement to allow JavaScript to generate media streams for playback." The extensions will allow, among other things, "...adaptive streaming and time shifting for live streams," enabling new options for video editing and content blending in advertising. The specification is backed by Google, Microsoft, and Netflix. Developers are encouraged to implement the Media Source extensions in real-world software. The specification will remain in its current Candidate Recommendation status until two independent implementations exist. Until then, the Media Source extensions are considered a work in progress not officially supported by the W3C.